2013 Ranked Voting Information

2013 Ranked Voting Results

Why Ranked Voting?

In 2009, Saint Paul voters approved the Ranked Voting method to elect the mayor and members of the city council Saint Paul voters used Ranked Voting in 2011 to elect members of the city council. In 2013, voters will be able to rank up to six different candidates in order of preference for the mayor's race and for the Ward 1 city council race.

The Saint Paul School Board will continue to use the traditional voting method. The school board races will be located on the other side of the ballot. You may vote for up to three school board candidates.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Mark Your Ballot

The ballot will have two parts - one for the city council office and one for the school board office. For the city office only, voters will have the option to rank the candidates in order of their preference:

Do Not Make These Mistakes!

If you make a mistake on your ballot, you can request a new ballot from any election judge. Absentee voters can call (651) 266-2171 or email elections@co.ramsey.mn.us to receive a new ballot.

Ranked Voting Posters

Ranked Voting Videos

Winning the Election

Candidates win the election by getting an absolute majority of the first choice votes cast for the office: 50% + 1. The first choice votes will be counted by voting equipment at each polling place. On election night, the vote totals will be available online at www.rcelections.org.

If no candidate gets a majority of first choice votes on election night, counting will resume on Saturday, November 9 for Mayor and Monday, November 11 for Ward 1 Council Member.

In each round, the candidate receiving the fewest number of votes, plus all other candidates who do not have a mathematical chance to win, will be eliminated. The voters' next highest choice for a candidate still in the running will be added to that candidate's vote total. Ballots that have no votes for a candidate still in the running are set aside.

The counting and reallocation continues in rounds until a candidate achieves a majority of votes. If only two candidates remain and neither has achieved a majority of votes cast, then the candidate with the most votes is the winner.